John D. Paschal was born in 1805 in North Carolina. When a child was taken to Tennessee; thence moved to Morgan county, Illinois. In 1835 he emigrated to the township now Mt. Pleasant, and made his first claim on Section 16, it being a school section. A law of Congress provided that all persons who should settle upon school sections in the townships of Illinois should be entitled to "floating pre-emption," therefore Mr. Paschal "floated" over on to section 15. On the farm thus secured he resided until about nine years ago, when, having disposed of his property, he removed to Morrison where he still resides. December 20, 1827, he married Miss Nancy Short, who is yet alive. Children: William B., born October 26,1828; Daniel B., born March 20, 1831; Elizabeth Jane, born May 15, 1833; James A., born May 28,1835; Isaiah F., born March 1, 1838; Sarah A., born April 19, 1840; Maria A., born November 18, 1843; John G., born July 26, 1846. The first four were born in Morgan county. All are now living.
Bent & Wilson 1877 Pg 297
